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World Hidden In Shadows: A Conspiracy Noir RPG

It was the summer of 2012. It was said to be one of the hottest summers in the past 60 years. July 4th was coming up and the whole nation was prepping to celebrate the time of year where they were liberated. Heh, it's kinda funny. Not alot of people were free then. Most don't realize it. People are now kinda soulless husks. Whether stuck in a dead-end job, with the wrong partner or whatever thing, people seem to be bound and content in this sad system. The rich get richer, the poor get poorer and it seems like everything is set up perfectly so that people don't give a damn.

My father told me we were put on this earth to be happy. And I'm a believer of that. I mean, we all take responsibility for our actions and sometimes bad things happen. But this... something about this isn't right. The whole idea of some sort of secret organization behind this sort of thing seemed silly... yet, there was something odd about all this. However, all great schemes came to an end... Nature had a way of introducing fun surprises in our lives.

My name... I'll tell you that later...

However, it all started with a case my partner and I got...

Funny, this sounds like a film noir sort of gig. Problem is... noir don't work in real life like that...

Welcome to World Hidden In Shadows! A tribute to those secret government conspiracies and fringe science stories all through a neo-noir styled story. We will all have our roles. However, to those who don't know

Film noir- a cinematic term used primarily to describe stylish Hollywood crime dramas, particularly those that emphasize cynical attitudes and sexual motivations. TVTropes has a term on it, but it's the classic styled pessimistic world with hard-boiled anti-heroes, femme fatales and thoughts over morals and existentialism.

Here, everyone will have their role and such. I will help everyone out on their role, but let's try and keep it diverse. Like, if you're gonna be part of the force, we won't have many cops (probably 2 as a pre-existing team). We'll have many roles like the Detective, the Conspiracy Theorist, the Femme Fatale, the Dragon Lady, the Cop(s), and so on and so forth.

This is taking place in the modern times and will start out in New York City, but will start going over the country. We'll be going into some stuff regarding the government, the CIA and foreign affairs, so this will be fun. What starts out as a simple case unfolds into a massive conspiracy regarding fringe sciences and new world orders and such.

“Once, or twice, in a lifetime, if you're lucky, there are moments. Someone slices the world open,
right down the middle and you can see the sky behind it. The true world. And you understand your purpose.”
(Frances Booth - Channel Zero; Candle Cove)

Okay - It can be reckless, but like everything else, it can be done 'right'. Take the magnet in the finger hack, if you had a reputable body mod artist, and used a real earth magnet, no issue... if not, major infection, and possible loss of a finger. Of course, you could also just get magnet gloves and spare yourself the pain.

“Once, or twice, in a lifetime, if you're lucky, there are moments. Someone slices the world open,
right down the middle and you can see the sky behind it. The true world. And you understand your purpose.”
(Frances Booth - Channel Zero; Candle Cove)

Name: Cole Culain
Gender: Male
Age: 29
Preference: So long as it's sentient, Cole's game. To him, sex is an exercise in deduction and psychological pressure points and a way to relieve stress. He doesn't really care if his partner is male or female, so long as he gets to top. Going by statistics alone, though, he prefers women.

Appearance: Cole stands around six feet, three inches tall, just enough to be a little imposing when the need arises. He keeps his dark hair cut short, and his face schooled into a a neutral expression. However, he has deep scowl lines and often looks aged beyond his years. On his left side, there is a small collection of shrapnel scars from when he was a soldier in the war. Despite successful medical treatment, his left arm and hand still have some residual nerve damage, and have a tendency to quaver. He has thin hands with long fingers, but they have grown rough and calloused. Cole generally has two or three days growth of facial hair, not because he thinks it makes him look rugged or striking, but because he often gets so involved in his casework that he forgets to shave. When he has the presence of mind, he tries to be clean shaven because he feels that any growth makes him look ragged and unkempt. He'll wear whatever he needs when he's undercover or on a case, but he prefers to wear a gray suit, or at least a white button down with charcoal gray slacks, and a long black wool coat to keep out the chill of the winter months in New York. He doesn't wear ties unless he absolutely has to, they only get in the way and provide another target for someone to grab in a fight. He tends to be impassive, and surveys the world with a steely gaze that many find off-putting. If he's out wandering the streets, he is probably smoking a cigarette. Though he abhors the smell, he claims that smoking allows him to focus.

Personality: Brusque and no-nonsense, Cole thinks of himself as morally good if not lawfully good. He has a moral code that allows for some leeway and dubious actions, so long as the end result justifies the means to get there. He doesn't have a lot of polish, but he does have an active and engaged mind, even if he doesn't always share what he's thinking. He has a habit of being taciturn and only explaining what he finds necessary and pertinent to the situation, much to the frustration of anyone he happens to be working with. Cole likes to maintain a certain psychic distance from people, though he fancies himself as quite competent at what he does. Cole is extremely competent and relentless in the pursuit of his quarry, and is fully aware that he exists in a unique position of upholding the law while still living just a bit outside of it. Though he wears a white hat, he isn't afraid to use methods of questionable legality to do what's right.

After fighting in the war and leaving the police force, his faith in the law (and mankind on the whole) has been considerably shaken, and he has grown weary and jaded. He barely passed his psych evaluation to get onto the force in the first place, and though he is prescribed anti-depressant medication he rarely takes it because he says that it impairs his judgment and deductive ability, making it a hindrance on his casework. Instead he prefers to self-medicate with a steady regimen of strong alcohol and meaningless sex.

History: Cole didn't go to college. After graduating high school, he enlisted in the army and went on a tour of duty in Afghanistan. When he was there, his squadron was ambushed. Cole disobeyed a direct order from his CO, seemingly abandoning his comrades in arms. However, his actions saved their lives, and resulted in a grenade tearing through his left side. It was only luck that saved him from death. After he recovered, he was awarded a medal for his heroism but discharged from the army. When he returned to the States, he tried to become a detective with the NYPD, but soon found that the regulations and structures of the police force got in the way of his moral code, and he left the force after only a year. Now he works freelance, and still has a few friends in the homicide department. When they need someone who is able to work on the more dubious side of the law, his contacts will call him in for a little consultant work. Between that and his freelance detective work, he manages to scrape together enough to pay his bills and eat at least enough to keep him on his feet.

Preference: I assume this is character type, if so Dragon Lady. If it’s orientation, she tends to go after guys, in a non-committal way. If it’s something else, I got nothing.

Appearance:
Mora has a deep tan skin tone due to a mixed Chinese and Italian heritage, and long full-bodied hair, that is glistening black in color. Her eyes are almond shaped and golden brown, though slightly on the small side. Her face is full and round with a softly pointed chin and small nose. She is just over five and a half feet tall, with a slender body shape, and long delicate hands.

Mora has a diverse and expensive wardrobe, but she can be often found in a brightly colored or white qipao, which is a form-fitting embroidered silk dress. Her favorite shoes are an expensive pair of black leather boots with lots of buckles and high heels, though she can often be found wearing black or red strapped high heels, or white mules as well, depending on the occasion. She picks her stockings and accessories to match her shoes and the occasion as well, everything from soft white silk stockings to black fishnets. As for accessories, she has a ton of jewelry from various suitors, but more often wears a white ivory bracelet she inherited from her grandmother, and her favorite pair of white sunglasses she wears when outside.

For make-up she generally wears glittering pink or vivid red lipstick, eye shadow that matches her current outfit, mascara, and thick eyeliner on her upper eyelids to make her eyes look bigger. Her fingernails are always manicured, with delicate designs painted on them.

Personality:
Mora is a very independent creature, though she uses her cunning to gain favors from men who think she needs them. She’s crafty like that, skilled in the manipulation of want-to-be lovers, and business relations alike. She is as overbearing as a boss, as she is a girlfriend. Her male employees are generally crushing on her, while she usually leaves her female employees with an severe inferiority complex, both of which help her keep control. She does not yell at her employees or threaten them however, a strict look or openly disappointed statement is usually enough for them to get the point.

Mora has a taste for the expensive things in life, be they clothes and furnishing, or food and entertainment. She knows how to make due with cheaper substitutes, but won’t if she doesn’t have too. Luckily, the business empire she’s built is doing rather well.

She uses her cunning achieve her goals and if she comes into some under the table information, she always save if for the appropriate time and price. Her moral alignment could be described a neutral; she does what’s best for herself, her mother, and little brother.

While she’s had many suitors and boyfriends, Mora has no intention of ever settling down, she just stays with a guy for as long as it’s convenient. She’s always the dumper, never the dumpee, because life is easier that way. The only guy that ever dumped her, had his life slowly torn apart, because Mora is the subtly vengeful sort. She’d much rather quietly torture a foe, than soil her image openly attacking him.

History:
Most people do not know very much about Mora’s past. She is pretty much a self-made woman, and tends to keep quite about her past. Growing up in a single wide trailer with her Chinese mother and grandmother, as well as a needy little brother left her wanting bigger things out of life, and much more in-touch with her Chinese heritage, than her Italian father’s culture. Her father’s lack of presence also left her bitter and uninterested in ever settling down herself, though she finds having a boyfriend around tends to be useful in it’s own way.

Her grandmother instilled in her a good work ethic, teaching her Mandarin Chinese alongside her normal studies. Speaking of studies, Mora was quite good with English as well, and won several Spelling Bees. Earning some money that she put away for college. It wasn’t nearly enough, but it was a start. She worked her way through college as a hostess at a high-end restaurant. She put her work ethic to use earning a business degree, after which she opened her first company, a small organic make-up producer. At first it was hard trying to paying off her college loans and business loan, but Mora never lost sight of her goal.

From there her enterprise grew, and she now owns several make-up factories and a number of night clubs. The latest of which, Renegade, is a loud flashing haven for trendy techies, biohackers, and other members of alternate lifestyles.

“Once, or twice, in a lifetime, if you're lucky, there are moments. Someone slices the world open,
right down the middle and you can see the sky behind it. The true world. And you understand your purpose.”
(Frances Booth - Channel Zero; Candle Cove)

Preference refers to sexual preference. Good work on both. You might need to describe the weary and cynical aspect, Fire as well as the weakness to woman. Otherwise, excellent job! FYI, my char would be Cole's partner. I'll have my char soon.

If you have attempted Alchemy by clapping your hands or by drawing an array, copy and paste this in your sig.
Platinum Friend Code: 0775-1254-2777

Ehehe... you just described my character in a nutshell. I hope I'm not taking away from what you had planned for your character, especially since I failed to provide too many details about my character for my reserve.

But of course, there's only one character I ever use for criminal-mystery-based RPGs like this... And he happens to share a name with another fictional thief who stars in a noir-like series of short stories. I don't care if he's currently in another (though very different) RPG DVB is running...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Name: Edwin "Lupin" TasselburyGender: MaleAge: 27Preference: Although Lupin is really not a romantic sort of person, he does have his "type": the quiet and reserved type. Someone who has a good head on her shoulders and who isn't afraid of the dark. Loud and social "party girls" are NOT his type, nor are women who are too promiscuous or too dependent on him. One might say that to attract him, you'll have to go through his mind and heart, not his pants.

Appearance: Lupin likes to maintain a well-kept appearance with a modest touch of class, though to some he comes across as intimidating. He's just slightly on the tall side, standing at 5'9". His hair, which is of varying shades of blond, curls a slight bit as it descends to his shoulders, but doesn't have a whole lot of volume. In front of his deep brown eyes he wears glasses, their rectangular frames being almost invisible at a distance (unless a light is shining on them of course). Because he spends hardly any time in the sunlight, his skin is of a rather pale shade. Thanks to a lingering eating disorder, his figure is skinny at best, with just enough muscle to allow decent physical activity.

Perhaps part of the reason why Lupin seems a bit intimidating is the fact that he wears all black. All his clothes hug his figure without being tight on him, and expose only his head and fingers. His coat is especially striking in that sense--it's long enough to reach down to his thighs, and has dark purple embroidery on the bottom, neck, and ends of sleeves. It has a row of tarnished bronze buttons down the front, and one on each sleeve. One obvious pocket with the same embroidery is on his chest, but there are a few hidden ones as well. Lupin wears a shirt underneath this coat, but no one ever sees it because he always buttons the coat all the way up to his neck. The sleeves of the coat are just long enough to cover part of his hands, which are covered with black fingerless gloves which revel his long and nimble fingers. In addition to all that, Lupin wears a pair of black trousers and black leather shoes.

Lupin doesn't like to walk around on a sunny day; if he has to, he'll don a pair of sunglasses and hold a black compact umbrella over him as a parasol.

Personality: An outlaw at heart, Lupin has a penchant for sneaking his way around the rules. They say everyone has one special thing they get the most wonderful pleasure out of--for Lupin it is stealing things. Even if he's in the darkest of moods, he'll wear his characteristic smirk on his face when doing so, or even when thinking about such larcenous topics. Now, notice I said "sneaking around" the rules, not "breaking" them. Lupin is not a thug. Rather than take things by force, he prefers to quickly and quietly snatch them away.

That's just as well, because Lupin is a rather quiet person most of the time. No matter what the situation is, he always speaks in a quiet voice. When not talking, he tries to make as little sound as possible. After all, he hates being the centre of attention, especially if it happens beyond his control. One sure way to terrify him is to have a whole bunch of strangers (especially authority figures) staring at him. Similarly, he is easily started by loud noises, and has a low tolerance for noisy places. For all these reasons, he refuses to carry firearms, and hates it when people around him use them. A similar principle applies to bright lights, which Lupin has a habit of flinching at in a Dracula-like fashion. Because of all these things, he lives a nocturnal lifestyle, which is suitable given his profession anyway.

Lupin tries to act in a serious and mature manner around others, and in his interactions with people he expects them to act in a similar fashion. He has a hard time tolerating people who do stupid and immature things, or who act out of "foolish" impulses such as rage and infatuation. While he might occasionally slip a joke or a witty remark into his speech, his tone of voice will not become bright and happy while doing so. Nor will he spend a lot of time complaining about things, preferring to tough out a situation or, even better, slip quietly away from it.

Besides his black outfit, another reason why Lupin seems intimidating to some is because he has a habit of silently brooding over the events of his past. If something reminds him of such events, it can cripple his focus on his surroundings, especially if he isn't trying to steal something at that time. It is true that Lupin is quite prone to depression. This depression has withered away his appetite and sense of romance, and even now deters him from seeking fun and excitement. He hides this in the form of a cold and often standoffish attitude towards others when such dark thoughts come to mind, but it can still show through at times. Yet on the flip side, he is good at standing his ground when danger arises, withstanding pain and peril to the absolute best of his ability.

And finally, though Lupin may seem like a loner to most people, deep down inside he actually is thankful to have friends and family in his life. He really does need to have his pack of support in order to function properly, so he tries not to get on anyone's bad side. Though it might take him a while to get used to people, he does try to interact with others, especially when forced into a group setting. Concerned about his appearance in every sense of the word, he aims to make a decent impression on people before they can think negatively of him. The second he's faced with the latter, he disappears... hopefully.

History: By the time Edwin was ten, he had escaped from the life had lived with his parents, parents who were neither wealthy nor nice. His father hated the idea of having a child in the first place, so he took out his frustration on Edwin in the form of torture and neglect. Quite frequently Edwin would spend time either reading or crying in bed, but whenever he got the chance, he would sneak out of the house and explore around town a bit. It was here where he started to develop his thieving skills, as he needed them to obtain food and money. Fortunately his mother was a little bit nicer to him, actually admiring his thieving talents, but in the end that didn't matter, as the situation with his father never changed.

After running away, Edwin wandered around, either living on the streets or secretly inhabiting other people's homes (he loved the latter). However, he was not happy. As much as he hated his father, a part of him really regretted running away--he felt as if he had suddenly thrown away his entire life. It was then that he realised how important it was for him to have a home, how frightening it was to be truly alone. Even when he got adopted into a new family, one which had both nicer parents and a couple of brothers to keep him company, it took him a while to adjust, remaining timid and quiet and even keeping his old habit of sneaking out of the house.

But when he finally did get used to it, it really paid off. Edwin ended up quite close to his two new brothers, as well as their friend who lived next door. Eventually, the four would form into a little gang which they called the Black Cat Bandits. They were quite different from typical street gangs, in that they never got involved in violence if they could avoid it, and had a more mature and professional way of doing things. They were basically a group of professional thieves, though they also helped investigate local mysteries, anything from difficult police cases to gang shenanigans to haunted places. Most of their income came from small-scale robberies and pickpocketing, and also a couple of small regular jobs a couple of them had.

The Black Cat Bandits had but four members, most of whom gave themselves nicknames, as is typical of any gang, no matter how unusual. There was Halberd, the engineer and computer geek who loved working with swords and gadgets, who occasionally served as a bodyguard for the others. There was Warren, a master of disguise who frequently pretended to be in other gangs or even the police, and otherwise ekes out a living as a cartoonist. There was Merlin, a bookworm and paranormal enthusiast who got the idea for investigating haunted places and provided support for the rest of the group. And Edwin, who was called Lupin from then on, was at the front of most of their thieving ventures, and also helped spy on people for investigation purposes.

At one point in the midst of all this, Lupin had a girlfriend, improbable though that seemed. Her name was Yamiko, a dancer, shoplifter, and daughter of a stage magician. Although she was a bit emotionally unstable, she was also very accepting of Lupin's lifestyle, and in fact was very interested in it. On a couple of occasions she even helped the Black Cat Bandits out with a mission. However, there's an old saying going around, that there are very few good girls out there, and that those who are out there are taken. Yamiko was also in love with someone else, a fashion designer by the name of Mr. D. A dreamboat, as far as Lupin could tell, and also someone who exemplified the lawful good. He didn't like Lupin one bit, and wasn't too happy about Yamiko's own thieving tendencies either. Eventually Lupin had to give in, saying that Yamiko was probably better off with Mr. D because he was "safer" and "more passionate" for her. But they still had occasional secret affairs, and indeed they were both good at keeping things secret.

Right now, Yamiko and Mr. D are engaged, and they're also currently on vacation in France. The Black Cat Bandits are scattered around the Big Apple, only getting together occasionally for social events or the occasional thieving mission. For the most part, Lupin undertakes the latter by himself nowadays, though occasionally one or two of the others will help him out. The other three have noticed his depression over Yamiko and possible jealousy of Mr. D, and occasionally nag him about finding a new girlfriend. He doesn't listen to them though, just going about work as usual.

Name: Diego VendrixGender: MaleAge: 19Preference: Has a weakness toward attractive women; however he is not easily fooled. Personality is also a big part.

Appearance:He stands at five foot, 9 inches. He has low cheekbones, a boyish face and with slight stubble. His hair is black with subtle patches of very dark brown, mainly in the tips. His hair is kept trimmed and neat, however the ends on the back of his head are messy and spiky. He has slightly bigger than average eyes, which are chocolate brown. His eyes are large enough that they are noticeably larger than average, even by a margin amount. His skin is a pale shade of olive skin that could be seen from his face. He has a stocky build though, consisting of some muscle and some fat.

He wears a black T-shirt with a gold yingyang symbol on front and a white silhouette of Quetzalcoatl, portrayed as an Ouroboros with the crescent moon and sun in the center of the loop on the back. He has on some black cargo pants that has pockets to carry anything he needs to and black tennis shoes with a red spiral on them. He completes this ensemble with n gray fleece "M-44 Jacket". He also has on a digital watch with him. He does change shirts to different slightly bizarre shirts, but overall this is kinda his basic attire. He also wears a trench coat and a fedora whenever he is working in the detective business.

Personality:Diego is a warm and emotional person with an occasion fiery temper and an adventurous spirit. He is very empathetic and has a great desire to help people out. Beneath this outgoing facade, Diego is a shy and quiet person. He is also a very artistic individual as he will often draw whenever he gets the chance to do so. He is very loyal, but can come on as clingy, especially around girls. He also likes to cook. When in serious situations, he knows it is time for him to use his intelligence and strengths at their full capacity. He is very creative and known to be devious for his ideas. He is regarded as being very smart in many aspects. He also has a fascination with mythology, the supernatural, the sciences, arts, cooking and the traditional geeky things such as anime and manga. In fact, he tends to emulate the qualities of his heroes to help bolster his self-confidence.

He has his faults, however. Some of these are being blunt, sarcastic, laziness and often day-dreaming during certain moments and saying a weird comment afterward. Beyond that, he also has moments of self-righteousness, showing frustrated toward some of the less-than-savory characters, but holds his tongue when he needs to. He is prone to snarky or blunt comments and is often unable to figure out what to do in situations with people so will often mess things up, though he means no harm. More so, he seems to have a dark side, appearing only in his night mares. Despite this or because of it, he tries to overcome these traits to become a better person.

He has been currently dabbling into conspiracy theories however and has become secretive and defensive as a result. Furthermore, his strong integrity, optimistic attitude and bizarre nature makes him a good partner toward the older Cole as they balance out each other's weaknesses.

History: Born of Mexican heritage, Diego does not have of an interesting background. Born on the West Coast, his parents move to the Southeast a few months after his brother is born. He grew up being a bright but eccentric and lonely kid. Not able to understand that he was different and why the kids viewed him strangely, he took it in stride though his short temper would come out and showed that that the neglect gave him a growing self-loathing. In his mind, for every one of his age to avoid him and not being able to make friends until much later, made him wonder if something was the matter. Believing something was wrong with him, he repressed this self-loathing with optimism. He continued moving forward, though he became sulky and aggressive during middle school.

This coupled with his brother’s normalcy, growing contrasting personality and popularity made the two clash and a rift was created that Diego ultimately regretted and while on better terms, still views this as a shame. Regarding his parents, his father worked in Operations for a computer company while his mom was a homemaker. Diego loved both his parents but closer to his father because he was a very competent, understanding, patient and understanding man, despite his stubborn attitude and need for control. Diego loves his mom and anyone who offends her will be given the traditional Mexican treatment, i.e. a tongue lashing a chance for a beatdown. However, he views her slightly as a ditz and is exasperated by her occasional lack of practicality and frugality, though he sympathizes with her emotional side, due to being the same way.

Being left to his own devices with no real friends until later, Diego took to some of the nerd hobbies, mainly reading, video gaming and anime and manga. Being shy around some adults and never finding a mentor in the form an older peer, he centered his principles on heroes of various fictions. Emulating some of their properties and adopting their determination, they helped Diego forge a moral code. This combined with his stubbornness and intelligence, made him come off as someone who was devious in arguing and a smartass at times. In high school, as people matured and got used to him, Diego began mellowing out. However, he still holds a grudge to many a peer. To him, they did something wrong and the right thing to do would be to apologize. He does so and has often done so. This ratio adds to the self-loathing by making him think many things are because of his fault. This gradual compilation led to the formulation of a potential dark side. Retaining his assets while thriving on anger, sadness, revenge and other suppressed emotions , this is the side of him he does his best to restrain.

Ultimately, he finishes off high school with strong grades, the only Hispanic with honors and going to college. However, his lack of experience with social cues as well as lacking any psychological coaching until late teenagerdom, put him in odds regarding networking. Furthermore, his philosophical ways and quirky views of the world made it odd for him to decide what he wanted, viewing the world having gotten to complicated. Upon entering college, he began studying film. Because he got several credits before entering, he was able to slow it down more than his other classmates and had some time for some activities.The one he ended up with was joining a gun club owned by enthusiasts, army veterans, retired police folk and hunters. He ended up spending time with them to learn how to handle himself in dangerous situations. He also came into contact with some conspiracy theorists which got him involved into his own research.

After his first year, he decided to head to New York for his summer break and ended up working with Cole. Diego's Hispanic background allowed him to talk to the Hispanic community and his friendly nature made him liked in a weird way, even by some of the unsavory members. Currently, he and Cole are about to stumble into their largest and strangest case.

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Platinum Friend Code: 0775-1254-2777

I imagined it being more like my guy 'takes care' of people, no questions asked. Then he get intel about conspiracies etc or something, and he starts to question everything. Something like that. I'm not clever enough to operate a hacker, I think